Oklahoma Fire Protection Company Offers Restaurant Fire Safety Tips

Oklahoma City restaurant owners have seen their share of costly fires. A popular Oklahoma City pizza place was damaged severely in 2012, and it took a year to repair the damages and finally reopen the restaurant. In 2013, another Oklahoma City area restaurant dealt with two fires in the same year – at two separate locations – one of which was pretty much destroyed by a large fire and explosions. And still another Oklahoma City restaurant suffered more than $1 million in damage after a devastating fire. Fires can literally destroy a restaurant and cause so much devastation that the business could perhaps never fully recover.

There are definite steps Tulsa and Oklahoma City area restaurant owners can take to help avoid costly fire damage. Notice these tips from the National Restaurant Association and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

·         Have an automatic kitchen hood fire suppression system installed. These systems can discharge a chemical agent to effectively suppress the flames, limit air from further fuelling the fire, and help cool the area, preventing the fire from spreading. In addition, these systems can automatically shut down the fuel and electricity to the cooking equipment. This is important because the NFPA reported that 57% of restaurant fires are caused by cooking equipment. Not surprisingly, the NFPA said that 4 in 10 restaurant fires begin with cooking material like food as the first thing ignited.

·         Make sure fire sprinklers are installed throughout the restaurant. The NFPA also said that “direct property damage per fire was 75% lower when wet pipe sprinklers were present, compared to fires with no automatic extinguishing equipment present.”

·         Watch for electrical hazards. The NFPA reported that electrical failure or malfunction was a factor contributing to ignition in an average of 16% fires, causing $56 million in property damage, with mechanical failure or malfunction involved in 13%. Thus, regular maintenance should be done to fix or replace frayed or faulty wires and broken switch plates.

·         Ensure there is always easy access to portable fire extinguishers. Class K fire extinguishers are approved for use in commercial kitchens for oil and grease fires. Make sure other classes of extinguishers, for use with various other types of fires such as paper, wood, or plastic, are on-hand in those particular areas.

·         Make sure grease doesn’t build up. Be sure to regularly clean exhaust hoods, grease traps, vents, grills, broilers, and other cooking equipment to prevent the grease from igniting. Have your exhaust system regularly inspected for buildup. “One in five fires (21%) in eating and drinking establishments had a failure to clean as a factor contributing to its ignition,” NFPA reported.

·         Make sure fire detection systems are installed and working properly. Smoke alarms and fire detection systems are vital for warning customers and employees about a fire.

·         Have your fire detection and fire suppression systems as well as other equipment inspected regularly.

EMPLOYEE TRAINING

·         Train all employees on how to properly use fire extinguishers and other suppression systems as well as what to do in the event of a fire.

·         Train them on proper cleaning of cooking equipment and other areas to avoid grease buildup.

·         Make sure they know to never throw water on a grease fire.

·         Train employees to keep walkways, storage, and other areas clean and uncluttered to prevent a fire from spreading and allow for a safe evacuation.

·         Have an emergency evacuation plan in place, and make sure all employees are familiar with it. Make sure there is adequate lighting for all exits. Designate a staff member on each shift to oversee the evacuation.

·         Ensure employees properly use and dispose of chemicals, soiled rags, and other flammable materials, and that these are kept far away from heat or power sources.

In a news report, owners of one Oklahoma business that was devastated by a fire told reporters that the rebuilding process took longer than they liked because the building process is much different than building from scratch and costs a great deal. In fact, the NFPA reported that between 2006 and 2010, restaurant fires “caused average annual losses of two civilian deaths, 115 civilian injuries, and $246 million in direct property damage each year.”

Don’t lose your restaurant to a fire. Call the Oklahoma fire protection specialists at Mac Systems, Inc. to make sure your restaurant stays safe and stays open.